Workplace Bullshitting: A Multidimensional Analysis of Motives

The present research addresses the question: why do employees engage in bullshitting at work? We examined this research question over three phases of multidimensional scaling (MDS). In the first (elicitation) phase (n = 222), we uncovered 36 unique motives for workplace bullshitting. Phase 2 analyses (n = 610) yielded a two-dimensional MDS configuration of these 36 motives. Phase 3 interpretation (n = 118) produced a four-quadrant typology of motives definable by the intersection of two motivation theories: striving goals and regulatory focus. Thus, employees engage in workplace bullshitting for the purposes of getting ahead (status-promotion), getting away (status-prevention), getting along (communion-promotion), and getting around (communion-prevention). The typology meets fundamental theory-building criteria and underpins a nomological network of workplace bullshitting that advances understanding of why employees engage in bullshitting and how the use of bullshitting may affect them.